Gameday Newsletter: Week 7, Bengals

Browns Film Breakdown returns providing all the insights you need as the Browns host the Bengals for the first "Battle of Ohio" in 2024.

Bernie Kosar #19 of the Cleveland Browns in action against the Cincinnati Bengals during an NFL Football game September 25, 1989 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. Kosar played for the Browns from 1985-93. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Through the good, the bad, and everything in between we show up. We show up because we just don’t know any better and we also know it is in our DNA. Most of you stuck around late into the night to watch the Yankees once again end the season of our Cleveland baseball team and…it has just worn me down. The system is broken in that sport and despite a front office that constantly finds a way to get the team into a position of success, they are doing so with one (maybe both) hands tied behind their back. Never enjoy those reminders. It would be a lovely reprieve if the Browns could put something together today and provide some positivity into an otherwise bleak Cleveland sports scene at the moment.

The Bengals come to Cleveland having not win inside this stadium since 2017. That is a nice trend to keep moving along. It is also one of the teams Kevin Stefanski has had the most success facing. If you throw out the backup fest in Week 18 last year, Stefanski is showing a 6-1 record against the AFC North rival. The Browns should be leaning into the memory of that success in recent seasons to drive their performance today. It remains a “now-or-never” thing for a team that badly needs a win. As we all know, in the worst way. Let’s share in some positive energy.

Here’s the latest from the team on injury status ahead of kickoff. Including that glorious news of Nick Chubb’s return.

Inside the weekly Gameday Newsletter you will get all the pieces of information paired with your Gameday Podcast to enhance your Sundays with this team.

Per the Sunday usual, I request that you sit back, pour your coffee or liquor, turn on the best pre-game Browns song known to man, and enjoy this delivery of all the best pre-game information from the BFB staff.

Wide receiver Chad Johnson #85 of the Cincinnati Bengals is doused with beer after scoring his second touchdown and jumping into the Dawg Pound during a game with the Cleveland Browns on September 16, 2007 at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland won 51-45. (Photo by Diamond Images/Getty Images)

Looking like a picture perfect fall weather day in the Buckeye State for The Battle of Ohio. Temperatures will hover in the high 60’s for the duration of the game with minimal wind and zero chance for precipitation. 12/10 grade for this one.

The Browns and Bengals don’t go all the way back to the mid-1900’s like the history against the NFC East, but when the merger hit in 1970 and the Bengals joined the NFL the two have faced each other twice a year since. The Browns won the 1970’s, the Bengals the 1980’s, and the Browns the 1990’s. These have been close battles with plenty of back and forth.

Mike Phipps #15 of the Cleveland Browns hands the ball off to Bo Scott #35 against the Cincinnati Bengals during an NFL football game at Riverfront Stadium December 9, 1973 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Phipps played for the Browns from 1970-76. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

The Bengals owned the Browns from 2004 to 2017 going 22-6. Then the Browns took over in 2018 and have gone 9-3 since then.

The Cleveland Browns Stadium scoreboard during the Cleveland Browns versus Cincinnati Bengals game on September 16, 2007 at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland won 51-45. (Photo by Diamond Images/Getty Images)

The Bengals lead the tight all-time series 53-48-0.

Since I have next to zero idea how to approach the Browns’ offense keying into success (despite many attempts in previous editions of this newsletter), we will focus in on a key piece of data about the blitz and how the Browns better approach this with Joe Burrow.